Sports shorts: U.S. basketball finalizes roster

NEW YORK (AP) — A desire for a bigger look made Andre Drummond necessary. The belief in Derrick Rose's health made Damian Lillard expendable.

NEW YORK (AP) — A desire for a bigger look made Andre Drummond necessary. The belief in Derrick Rose's health made Damian Lillard expendable.

Those were conclusions made by U.S. team officials when they selected the 12 players who would travel to Spain for the FIBA World Cup of Basketball.

After years of ignoring size concerns by fielding teams with the best wing players in the world, the Americans decided this time around that bigger was better.

That meant keeping all the big men left on their roster, with Drummond joining New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, Brooklyn's Mason Plumlee and Denver's Kenneth Faried.

"Just based on how we're constructed, we thought the insurance of having another big — I don't want people telling us later, 'you should've, you could've,'" USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

"We didn't have to do that. We don't need to face that, because we've got some legitimate bigs that we think collectively can be very effective."

Lillard, Portland's All-Star point guard, was cut along with swingmen Chandler Parsons of Dallas, Kyle Korver of Atlanta and Gordon Hayward of Utah. Colangelo said Lillard was a victim of too many players at his position and handled the news gracefully.

The Americans had to be certain Rose could handle the workload after the Chicago Bulls star missed most of the last two seasons after a pair of knee surgeries. He sat out a couple of practices and an exhibition game because of soreness, but was back for Friday's 112-86 victory over Puerto Rico.

The Americans left later Saturday for Spain, where they were to play a final exhibition game against Slovenia before the tournament starts next Saturday. The final rosters aren't due until the day before and U.S. team officials had previously said they might take more than 12 on the trip.

GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) — Michael Phelps overhauled U.S. teammate Ryan Lochte late in their preliminary heat Sunday, qualifying for the 200 medley final at the Pan Pacific championships at the expense of his friend and long-time rival.

With only two swimmers per country eligible for the A final, Phelps and Lochte — swimming in adjacent lanes — needed to beat the 1 minute, 58.70 that Tyler Clary clocked in the previous heat.

Pulling the most out of his last strokes, Phelps just overhauled Lochte to finish in 1:58.95. Lochte, who holds the world record and who beat Phelps at the U.S. nationals earlier this month, finished in 1:59.09. He can still qualify for the U.S. world championships team depending on times in the B final. Kosuke Hagino led qualifiers in 1:57.61, ahead of Japan teammate Daiya Seto and Clary.

NEW YORK (AP) — Joe Torre lingered on the field at Yankee Stadium, hugging each one of the guests on hand Saturday to honor New York's four-time World Series winning manager.

If Torre's time with the Yankees always felt like a family affair why should the day his No. 6 was retired be any different?

"It's a long, long journey from the field to Monument Park," Torre said. "However, I was blessed to make that journey on the shoulders of some very special players."

The recently inducted Hall of Famer unveiled his number alongside those of 16 other retired numbers in Monument Park at the start of the ceremony. With No. 6 forever out of circulation, that leaves Derek Jeter's 2 as the only single digit number still being worn on Yankees pinstripes.

The Yankees captain, who is retiring after this season, escorted Soot Zimmer, the wife of the late Don Zimmer, onto the field to present Torre with a proclamation from New York Mayor Bill de Blasio naming Saturday Joe Torre Day.

Torre rode in a golf cart with Yogi Berra to the area in front of the mound, where the Yankees presented him with the 29th plaque to be placed in the area beyond the center field wall at the stadium.

CHICAGO (AP) — Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado has decided to have season-ending surgery on his ailing right knee, leaving the Orioles without one of their best players as they try for their first division title in 17 years.

Machado hurt himself on an awkward swing against the New York Yankees on Aug. 11, crumpling to the ground in the batter's box. He tried rest in an effort to return to the AL East-leading Orioles this year, but he said the knee just isn't getting better.

"There's nothing else we can do," Machado said before Baltimore's game at the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. "Only thing is going in there and fixing it up. It's just something it didn't get any better at all."

The 22-year-old Machado, who was selected by Baltimore with the third overall pick in the 2010 draft, was an All-Star and won a Gold Glove last year in his first full season in the majors.

CHENEY, Wash. (AP) — Vernon Adams threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns to lead Eastern Washington to a 56-35 victory over Sam Houston State on Saturday in the first college football game of the season.

The game matched traditional NCAA Football Championship Subdivision powerhouses. Eastern Washington is ranked first and Sam Houston 14th in the FCS coaches' poll.

Adams completed 26 of 48 passes with one interception. Quincy Forte added 152 yards on 23 carries for the Eagles, who had 624 total yards. For Sam Houston, Jared Johnson passed for 317 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Keshawn Hill ran the ball 17 times for 133 yards and one touchdown. The Bearkats had 542 total yards, but were hurt by 16 penalties for 159 yards.

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth Recreation Department will be holding youth soccer registration for boys and girls grades K to 4 at the Connie Bean Recreation Center located on Parrott Avenue from Monday to Friday this week from 5 to 8 p.m. Cost is $40 for residents and $60 for non-residents (Greenland, Rye, New Castle and Newington only). Included in the cost is game shirt, socks and shin-guards.

Games will be played twice a week at Leary Field and Central Little League Field, both located on Parrott Avenue. Volunteer Coaches will be needed.

For more information, contact Portsmouth Recreation by phone at (603) 766-1483.

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